Improvement in stamp-canceller



gtlllitntl glam ROB-E RT 'IHOSGOODY Letters Patent No. 87,000, dated February 16, 1869.

or 'onta-N1), MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STAM-cANcnLLnR The ,Schedle referred to In these Letters Patent and making p'ait oi the same.

' Beit known that I, Ronnnfr T. Oseoon, of'OrIand,

in the county of Hancock, in the State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Instr'hme'nt for Cancelling Revenue-Stamps;.and -I do vhereby declare that the following is 'a full, clear,'and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters vof reference marked thereon.

The nature of my inrention consists in a hand-instrument, with a grooved and spurred cylinder, containing type for letters and date, with cutting-blades, and inking-appliances, 'for rolling over and cancelling revenue-stamps. y

- CIjo enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe -its construction and operation.

First, I construct an iron cylinder, A, of any re- ,quiredhlength- .and.diameter,drillf a hole through it from end to end, then turn into it several grooves, at short distancesY from eaghother, B B, nearly to the centre, .to make bearingsfor the cutters.

That portibnvbetween thel grooves, I cut dow'n'in the middle, leaving a thin flange upon each edge. I then groove lengthwise, down to -the surface of the cylinder, which makes square-sided points uniformly distributed overit, for-the purpose of pricking the stamp in canceiling it.4 i

One of these sections, C, is made thicker than the others, and is located at the end of the cylinder, having spaces cut outfor type, leaving angular portions Yon theinner side, to. keep them in position. I next make the bearings, within the grooves, of an irregular square, by iiling away a small portion from every alternate one, upon each of the'four sides, for the purpose of vibrating the cutter-blades D D, the

.back of which rests against the surface of these bearings, which drive them out and in, as the cylinder rolls over the stamp, for the purposev of cutting it. I have springs, j j, attached to the cutter-arms, to keep them in position against the bearings.

I make a washer, E, which covers the type-end Aof the cylinder A, and which securelylreeps them in position,` after being putin the handle-piece.

I next construct aniron handle-piece, F, bent in any required form, with two arms to pass over'the ends of the cylinder.

In the ends of these' arms, I'make holes, and insert a shaft-pin, G, having ascrew cut on one end, to pass into a corresponding nut made in the arm, the other end having a thumb-wheel, G', firmly secured to it, for the purpose of removing it, when desired to change the type; and, when doing so,I take out the shaft-pin,

push aside the washer E, andthe type can be replaced without further diiicultyl l The cutters D are cut from a steel plate, with a slot or 'space in the broad end, the plane of which, H H, extends downward to any required ldegree from the plane of the arm, so that, 'by forcing the arm forward 'motion without loosening.

upon this inclined plane, it sets the cutter-blades down `below the surface of 4the points upon the cylinder A, as before indicated, the springs j j keeping them always upto the bearings.

I next make a joint in the arm,by riveting a short slot-piece, K, upon it; ,-I then put a screw through it into the other arm, and-screw'both together, the -slotted armbeing shorter` than the other, and is bent so as to conform to the grooves in the cylinder. The objectof this slot-pieceis to set the cutter-armback or forward, to give the exact and uniform amount of the cutting-edge required and to admit of the vibratory Next, I hinge the outside cutter-arms to a piece, L,

hinged tothe upright portion of the handle-piece F,

by putting a pin or screw, f, through the arms into the lower end of this piece,'.which serves to keep the rear end o'f the arms in position.

^ This uprightpiece-lsmadewithanotherholethroughvv .the'lat side, near the lower end, to insert a thumbscrew, m, through it, and into the handle-piece, to'set the cutters forward or backward at pleasure.

I'have a stout spring, V, or its equivalent, between this piece and the -arm-piece'F, to keep them always back to their desired position.

I next put on a handle, N, of wood, and the instrument is ready for use after the ink-box is puton.

vI then have an inking-box, O, made of suitable` plate, put on over the cylinder and cutters, the bottom `of which is bent and cut through for that purpose.

The box also has `a division through the middle, crosswise, for'the purpose of putting in -theinkingmaterial and other arrangements. The upper part contains the ink-sponge or itsequivalent. The lower part contains the roller T, and its hangings l), cheaply and curiously arranged, by being hung in the ends of a dat steelpieceS, which is bent similar to an oxbow, and made to lit inside of the box, and the inkroller T made to rest directly over and upon the cylindcr, for the purpose of inkin g the cylinder-points and type. v n

The back of this steel piece, near the bend oneither side, has a hole, R, near the lower edge, for a rod to pass through it andthrough the sides of the box, to

the front side ofthe box from the arms upon which it.

rests when' used.

A The upper portion of the box .is made with a depression upon its top,to put the thumb in when in use, which presses the'box down, and consequently the inking-roller T will rise up against the ink-material.

in the upper palt, which 'besrnears it for inkingthe cylinder. A, thus doing. away with much complicated machinery. y

I have also two wire dowel-points, made of any rcquired length, extending downwardiom the bottom of the box O,`so as to pass through corresponding holes, x, in the ends of the handle-arms; and also, I have two hooks, u u, or their equivalent, on the rear side, which pass under the arms F, to keep the inkbox in position. The ink-roller, being covered with a flexible material, readily admits the points without injury.

The instrument is used in the hand, by drawing or pushing it over the stamp, with the same effect.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A handinstrument, with a metallic cylinder, grooved, and made similar to a series of wheels, with square-pointed spurs upon their edges, -and knives between, and havingr one section at the end made thicker than the others, with spaces leut in it for-type, for the y purpose of printing, cutting, and 'prieking a revenuestamp, substantially as described.

2. lhe combination of the cutters, made with an inclined plane to set them, the irregular bearings in' the grooves to vibrate them alternately, together with the springs and set-screws, substantially as described.

3. The inking-box, mede to rest upon the handlearms, over the cylinder. with the manner of securing it, provided with the inlriing-roller T and yoke P, substantially as shown and described. l

ROBERT T. OSGOOD. Witnesses:

A. A. LITTLEFLELD, O. B. TRoT'r. 

